PIA Davao Region

DAVAO DEL NORTE, June 25 (PIA) – Two COVID19 variants first found in the United Kingdom and South Africa have recently been detected in the province. In a press release dated June 23, 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) has reported that there is 1 case of Alpha and 6 cases of Beta COVID19 variants in Davao del Norte. The Alpha variant is known as the “B.1.1.7” variant first found in the United Kingdom in November 2020 while the Beta variant is the “B.1.351” variant first found in South Africa in October 2020. The Alpha COVID19 case in the province is a 38-year-old asymptomatic male who is currently admitted in one of the province’s isolation facility. For the 6 cases of Beta COVID19 cases, 3 of them are a 28-year -old male who was asymptomatic, a 20-year-old female and a 22-year-old male who both experienced mild symptoms. However, all three have already been discharged. The other three cases are still active: a 40-year-old asymptomatic female, an 84-year-old male with moderate sympt...

DAVAO CITY, June 23 (PIA) – The Department of Health XI clarified in a letter sent to the Davao Oriental Provincial Government that reported variants specifically from the confirmed cases from the said province are not identified as variant of concerns. This came after a news item  released by the Mati City Information Office citing that variants taken from the confirmed cases from Davao Oriental are B.1, B.1.78 and A.4. “The reported variants are not identified as variant of concerns because current data are insufficient to determine whether the variant will require more appropriate and specific health action,” DOH XI regional director Annabelle P. Yumang wrote in the letter. The Davao Oriental Provincial Task Force COVID19 also issued a press release saying that there is no Brazilian variant detected in the province contrary to the news item released recently Provincial Task Force-COVID19 Action Officer Dr. Reden Bersaldo said that “although there were variants which have...

DAVAO CITY, June 22 (PIA) – The Philippine Genome Center (PGC) – Mindanao along with six other partner sites in Mindanao are set to start the SARS-CoV-2 sequencing project this week in collaboration with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and the University of Glasgow. PGC-Mindanao center director Dr. Lyre Anni Murao, guesting in One Davao Virtual Presser, announced that the first batch of sequencing will run for about a week after getting needed samples from the different regions in Mindanao. “So far, three laboratories have already submitted samples and we are looking forward to receive other samples from other laboratories,” Dr. Murao said. The PGC Mindanao is one of the seven sites tapped to participate in the genome sequencing. “The importance on having this sequencing is for us here in Mindanao to identify the different variants that will give us an idea on what kind of virus do we have right now.” When asked if the possible presence of new variants is the cause ...